Railroad-tie



No Model) C. GARVIN.

' RAILROAD TIE. No. 584,546. Patented June 15,1897.

. WMM Oolzmzbzzs Garfi/'174 UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

COLUMBUS GARVIN, OF HARPSTER, OHIO.

RAILROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,546, dated .T une15, 1897. Application filed October 20, 1896. Serial No. 609,427. (Nomodel.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COLUMBUS GAEVIN, a citizen of the United States,residing'at I-Iarpster, in the county of Vyandot and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Ties; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railroadfties and rail-joints.

It consists of a cast-iron tie which at the same time acts as a jointfor the rail.

The parts and construction of my device will be pointed out moreparticularly in the specification following, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure l is aplan view of my device, both the double and the single tie. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, the rail-joint being in sections. Fig. 8 is an endelevation, and Fig. 4 represents a vertical transverse section takenthrough my impvroved tie just inside 'of the rail.

The object of my device is to produce a metal tie Which shall be iirmand hold the track securely in place, and Which may be quickly andsurely operated to line up the track and which will be durable. Theseobjects are secured as follows:

I will first describe the double tie and the rail-joint as combined withit. In this the body of the tie is represented by A. This consists of acasting in a general T shape, the stem of the T, however,being in theform of a wedge. This wedge portion is placed up and the top of the Tdown. Two of these sections are placed parallel and slightly removedfrom each other, with webs joining them in the center and with the endsjoined by an extension I of the bottom of the tie. The space between thetwo bars of the double tie is about equal to the width of each sectionor bar. These double ties are calculated to be used at the rail-jointsand are designed to give additional bearing-surface and stiffness atthis point. The top or apex of the wedge portion of each bar is for ashort distance from each end made in the form of a flat-top gib D,having undercut sides. Across the and groove lock it and the tiesecurely together, so that it will securely resist any side pressureupon the rail. Upon the opposite side of the rail is the other half ofthe fishplate F. The top of this is made as the other to fit the side ofthe rail. It has a down- Wardly-projecting iiange upon the inner sideand extending somewhat under the rail. This downwardly projectingportion F is grooved out across the same so as to iit snugly over theways D. This fish-plate must thus be placed upon the ties by sliding iton their inner ends to the outer ends of the ways D. The rail has theusual holes punched as for fish-plates and the members of thefish-plates or rail-joints have recessesadapted to receive the ends ofpins F2, inserted through the rail and projecting beyond the sides ofthe same.

Connected to the inner edge of the innerl iish-plate F by bolts fastenedin the fishplates, as shown, is a rod M. This rod extends to the centerof the track. The two complementary rods from opposite sides arescrew-threaded upon their inner sides, onev being'right-handed and theother left. A long right and left nut or turnbuckle K is placed uponthese rods, and by turning the same the inner face of the rail-joint maybe pressed irmly out against the rails. Then it is necessary, they canalso be turned in. The rods M are slightly bedded in the crosswebs I andare held from being removed therefrom by straps O.

In a single tie the construction is essentially the same, the onlydifference being that a single bar only is used to make the tie and therail is not punched, nor do the fish-plates have pins for entering thesaid holes. The

bearing-blocks against the side of the rail are, however, much shorterthan the fish-plates at the rail-joints. Every part of construction IOOof construction holds the rails securely and I prevents the possibilityof the rails spreading or loosening from any cause.

To prevent the nuts K from turning back, they are notched or lit'e'dupon Athe 'outside at one end and a catch Gr -i's lf/asit'ened to therail and bears upon its head, engaging the' flutes and preventing theturning 'backward of the nuts.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 I claiin as new, and desireto-secure fbyLetters y Patent, is-

l. In a combined railroad-tieandrailfj-oint, the combination of -a-metaltie havingundercut'ways upon their outer upp'er edges anda l dovetailslot across their ends, with 2a 4iish plate having a dovetaililange-iiVttin-gtheii cross-"slot and yshaped upon theside to'ft the side ofthe rail, a complementary plate having dov'et'ail slots to slide upon'the undercut ways 'and shaped to fit the side of the rail and means forforcing said plate out against the rail, substantially as described.

2. In a combined railroad-tie and rail-joint, consistingof'aT^`shapedrnetal bar placedwith the flat top down, an undercut way uponthe top of the tie at each end, and a dovetail cross- :groov'e near theinner end thereof, a block having a dovetail ilange for fitting in said.grooves and shaped to iit the outer side sur- V)face 'of the rail, ablock shaped to fit the inner ysul1'-`face and havin-tg downwardlyprojecting lugs adapted to engage the undercut sides of the way, a rod4engaging the inner block and extending to the fceniter of the trackV'and a right and left threaded'nut adapted toengag'e said rod.,substantially as described. n V

In testimony whereof I `have 5'signed this specifica-tion in 'th'epresence vof two subscribing witnesses. l

p "COLUMBUS GARVIN. Witnesses:

G. l-I. LEWIS', GYRUs SEARS.

